About the speaker

Cheryl Stewart Pero is the director of the Multicultural Center at LSTC. She completed her Ph.D. in New Testament at LSTC in 2010 and became the first African American Lutheran woman to earn that degree. In 1980, she became the second African American woman ordained in the Lutheran Church in America (LCA). After briefly serving on the churchwide staff of the LCA, Stewart Pero served parishes in Chicago and worked in campus ministry for 12 years.

Stewart Pero also serves as Director of the Conference of International Black Lutherans (CIBL), an organization that brings together Black Lutherans from around the world for theological discussion and dialogue, to develop contextualized theological education programs, and works to facilitate the spiritual and physical liberation of all people.

During the 2009-2010 academic year Stewart Pero served as LSTC’s Pastor to the Community.